It appears likely that Carlos Abad will continue to guard Hércules’ goal through the last three fixtures of 2023. A Tuesday morning radiological exam, coinciding with the team’s day of rest, showed no fiber rupture in the quadriceps muscles, confirming that the discomfort felt after his kick at the old Morvedre ground was not due to a serious injury.
Review notes indicate Tenerife’s goalkeeper has been dealing with muscle fatigue. Rest and recovery massage therapy, continued on Monday and Tuesday and set to resume today, substantially increase the odds that Abad can return on Sunday to face Manresa at José Rico Pérez (18:00).
His presence on the pitch has been a cornerstone of Hércules’ strong start. Losing him before year’s end would represent a significant setback to the club’s ambitions to challenge Lleida for top-of-the-table recognition. The player has already carried positive vibes from the Sagunto trip. On Monday noon, it was decided to grant the Puerto de la Cruz native a rest pending medical review, which confirmed fatigue principally in the right leg and ruled out a quadriceps intervention. Such an intervention would have likely sidelined him for about three weeks. If progress continues as expected, he would participate in his 46th appearance for Hércules this Sunday.
45 MATCHES
Since joining Hércules in Alicante, he has been a defining figure for the blue and whites.
The goalkeeper missed only two of the final two regular-season matches last year, neither due to injury.
Since arriving in the summer of 2022, he has sat out just two matches. Those were not injury-related but a coaching decision by Lolo Escobar to reward Iván Martínez’s hard, if unrewarding, work. Like Cendón, he sat on the bench during the Copa del Rey tie against La Nucía, with first-team duties limited to a secondary role.
Analysis | Hercules’ stretch marks
Pedro Rojas
Carlos Abad’s relief at achieving peak muscle health stands in contrast to the hurdles faced by Alfonso Candelas, who has been battling a neck sprain sustained in Terrassa and has not yet returned to full fitness.
The persistent pain restricts normal training and prevents participation in matches. Diagnostic tests ruled out a bone fracture, which is the most burdensome scenario; the course now is to wait for inflammation to subside before rejoining the rest of the squad on the training field.
Hugo Sanz’s response did not meet expectations
The Sunday clash against the eighth-placed side is not ruled out, a match that could prove pivotal in stopping a slide that has seen the blue and white team go three weeks without a win and collect only two points from the last nine on offer. If disagreements persist, the current inertia will demand urgent liberation.
Hugo Sanz’s appearance did little to ease concerns. The defender, on loan from Real Murcia, has complained about a lack of rhythm and regular league matches. These two players are among the few who have featured this season after enjoying standout spells with their parent club, Ourense, where they were undisputed starters.
Defensively inconsistent and with limited offensive presence, Candelas’ natural backup must push forward to avoid forcing the coach into seeking more inventive methods to fill the left-wing gap created by the loss of the La Solana defender. Preparations begin today for the Manresa duel, a match that carries heightened significance after a poor showing against Atlético Saguntino.